Lancaster man jailed for sexually abusing teen

A self-confessed pervert who groomed and abused a teenage boy in Lancaster has been jailed for four and a half years.

Stuart Flowerday, 25, was “a dangerous offender” after hearing how he targeted the 15-year-old on a gay dating app last year.

Flowerday has previously served a prison sentence for inciting boys to engage in sexual activity and was on licence when he met the boy on the internet last year.

The pair exchanged messages before agreeing to meet up in Lancaster on two separate occasions, where they engaged in sexual activity.

Preston Crown Court heard the boy had initially claimed to be 16 - but when he revealed his real age to Flowerday, the defendant replied: “I’m not bothered.”

The offences came to light when the boy’s stepdad grounded him and confiscated his mobile phone.

Text messages between the pair were discovered in which Flowerday described himself as a “pervert” and a “sex offender”.

There were also a number of explicit photographs, the court heard.

Flowerday pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child and a charge of meeting a child following sexual grooming.

Judge Dodd, sentencing, said: “There were messages of you telling him to go no comment if the police ever found out.

“When you were arrested you asked for time to get clothing as you said you were going to prison for that.

“You then went no comment and the boy had to attend an identity parade, where he picked you out.

“At the time of these offences you were on licence having been released from a custodial sentence on MAy 25 last year.

“You were also subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order arising from your conviction at Woolwich on June 18 2015.

“The terms of that order included not actively seeking or being in the company of any child under 16; you weren’t to attempt to or communicate with any child under 16 or invite a child under 16 to your premises.

“With your contact with this boy you breached all those conditions.”

Judge Dodd jailed Flowerday, of Cleveleys Avenue, Lancaster, for 52 months with a 26 month extended licence period to reflect his risk to the public.